Hawaii vs NYC and Chicago at Christmas

Hawaii is the ultimate winter escape for Americans: no passport, no currency exchange and 80°F (27°C) days while the mainland shivers. Choosing an island is the first decision. Oahu is the energetic hub, with Waikiki's beach scene, the moving USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, the Diamond Head crater hike and the North Shore, where winter swells send 30-foot waves rolling into Waimea Bay and the Banzai Pipeline. The Big Island is raw and vast, with active volcanoes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, night snorkeling with giant manta rays off Kona and stargazing near the summit of Mauna Kea. Maui, with the Road to Hana and Haleakala sunrise, is the romantic middle ground and deserves its own trip. This 7-day plan pairs 3 nights on Oahu with 4 nights on the Big Island, linked by a short inter-island flight of about 45 minutes. Book the key reservations early: Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona Memorial program, Diamond Head entry for non-residents, and a manta ray tour. Pack a light jacket for volcano evenings, mineral reef-safe sunscreen for the reefs, and plenty of patience for traffic in Honolulu.

This holiday lights trip pairs two of America's most festive winter cities: three days in New York, then a short flight to Chicago for two more. In Manhattan, stand beneath the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as skaters circle the rink below, browse the glass kiosks and free-admission ice rink of Bryant Park's Winter Village and walk Fifth Avenue's elaborate department store windows and light shows. Ride the subway to Brooklyn for Dyker Heights, where homeowners cover entire houses in lights, inflatable Santas and animated nutcrackers. In Chicago, sip hot spiced wine from a boot-shaped mug at the German-style Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza, stroll the Magnificent Mile beneath trees strung with more than a million lights, skate at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park and end at Lincoln Park ZooLights, a glowing, family-friendly tradition. The best window is mid-November to early January: markets generally run from mid-November to Christmas Eve, the Rockefeller tree is lit in early December and most displays stay up into the new year. Visit before December 23 to catch everything open. Pack a warm coat, hat and gloves, because Chicago nights often dip into the 20s, and book hotels early.